Envious
by Whooligan
Summary: Face has got a new girl, whom he thinks is the best thing to ever happen to him. Murdock, on the other hand, doesn't agree. Is Murdock just paranoid? and is Face's girl really all that she seems?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey Guys! After furiously dueling with the Document Manager/ Stories Uploader I have finally managed to get this story going! This is going to be long, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to update- But I will update whenever possible, and I aim to keep you all happy. **

**Well, I think I've talked too much here. I don't own A-Team, obviously, and I don't have a beta so please excuse any mistakes. Yes, I do end up mostly typing around midnight- there may be a few.**

**Enjoy!**

H.M. Murdock sat on his bed at the VA, staring at the phone. The crazy pilot had been sitting there for an hour now, waiting in silence for any sound other than his own breathing. He had thought of picking up the phone and dialing himself, but then he could miss the call he knew was coming. The risk was too great. Besides, Murdock was content with waiting.

The slight worry that had been gnawing at his insides continued as another thirty minutes passed. This wasn't right. His friend was now an hour and a half late- but he was never late. Face always came when he said he would, and called when he was delayed. This exceptionally un-Facelike behavior was too crazy even for Murdock. The pilot's big brown eyes slid towards the door for a quick second, checking to make sure he wasn't already here, before moving back to the phone. Face would call, he knew it.

But what if he didn't? The question had been circling the pilot's head for at least forty minutes now. What if he was hurt? Or captured? Or what if Murdock had imagined the whole thing? What if he had never said he was coming? Murdock's paranoia was growing as he pondered in the silence. What if Face had forgotten him?

No, he chided himself. His best friend would never do that. Faceman was probably stuck in traffic or something. Perhaps giant radioactive rabbits had dug holes in the road. Murdock grinned slightly at the image of Face swerving around giant green rabbits, knowing his friend wouldn't like getting radioactive rabbit fur all over his nice suits.

As Murdock began to imagine Face riding one of the rabbits here, the phone rang. The pilot jumped startled, before diving for the phone rather dramatically. He and the phone toppled to the ground, Murdock managing to grab the receiver and keep it to his ear as he landed. "Welcome back to another exciting episode of 'Dancing with Rabbits'. The cast is currently all on a carrot break, but will be doing the Bunny Hop when they return," He announced into the phone before the caller even had a chance to speak.

"Murdock?" Came the hesitant reply over the line in the tone of someone trying to determine if they even had the right number to begin with.

"Faceman!" Murdock shouted in reply. "Geez, I was getting worried. With all them radioactive rabbits out there, Billy thought you might have fallen in one of their holes!"

"Radioactive Rabbits?" Face asked, than quickly continued realizing he really didn't want to know. "Actually, I just lost track of the time. Didn't mean to be late, but I thought I'd tell you I was on my way." Face's voice broke off for a moment; than a woman's hushed voice could be heard over the line. Murdock didn't fail to hear it.

"Sounds like your still in bed," He commented dryly, a bit disappointed in his friend. Face didn't use to blow Murdock off for his girls, but he had been doing it more and more often lately.

"Err- I'll be there in five minutes, promise." The embarrassment in Face's voice was evident, and Murdock felt slightly bad for even bringing it up. He knew Face had picked up on his disappointment right away.

"Hey, don't worry 'bout it. Just be quick, and try not to hit the rabbits!" Murdock said quickly, trying to lighten the mood. He could never be truly mad at the conman, and it was none of his business what Face did in his spare time anyways. He heard the click on the other end and dropped the phone back on its receiver, leaving the whole phone on the floor. The pilot stood and moved towards the TV, sitting and staring at the blackness as he waited for his friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Face dropped the phone back on its cradle, feeling a moment of guilt. He hadn't meant to forget Murdock, but he had been busy with other things… The other thing in question was looking at him, frowning slightly. Face looked at her with one of his best apologetic smiles as he started to throw the covers of the bed off of him. Her hand landed on his wrist, stopping him momentarily.

"Temp, you're not leaving, are you?" She asked, pouting slightly at him.

Face sighed, wishing he wasn't. "Sorry Jess, I've got to. I promised Murdock I'd go pick him up." He was starting to regret telling Murdock he'd be by today. He loved Jess, and had been seeing her now for a couple of months. She knew about his friends, even if she didn't know exactly who they were, and she accepted that he had to leave on business a lot. It was unusual for him to fall for a girl for so long, and very unusual for him to even mention his friends to her.

Face looked at her and thought about it. The love he felt for her went past her beauty. Not that she wasn't beautiful. He had fallen instantly for those light green eyes and flawless skin. Her light brown hair and excellent shape had drawn him in, and as soon as she flashed that brilliant smile he knew he was in love. Yet it was deeper, it was more than her looks. It was how she loved him no matter what he did, no matter where he went. It was that caring look in her eyes. It was the love he felt, deep down, for her. Face wasn't sure if he had ever truly been in love with one of his girlfriends before, but he knew he was now.

He blinked, realizing she was looking at him expectantly. "What?" He asked, knowing she must have said something while he had just been staring at her like an idiot. He covered is sudden embarrassment with an award winning smile, and watched as she smiled in return.

"I asked if you could just stay a few more minutes," She said with an amused tone in her voice. "But you were too busy staring at me to notice. " As she spoke she pulled him back down beside her, trying to make him stay.

Face felt he was making the hardest decision of his life. "But I told him five minutes…" He argued lightly, his mind not really in it. When he realized he was lying down again anyways, he gave her a genuine smile. "Well, I guess a couple minutes couldn't hurt anything…."


	3. Chapter 3

Murdock sighed, laying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. Face wasn't there yet. He glanced sideways at the clock, realizing it was now 1:30. He could run down to the cafeteria for a quick lunch if he wanted, but then he might miss Face. A small voice in the back of his head laughed at him, cruelly informing him that his best friend wasn't coming. After all, it had been hours since his five minutes were up. But Murdock ignored it, staring at the ceiling again in despair.

He didn't understand. Face had _never_ done this to him! Sure, Face had been delayed before, and sure, he had been caught up in women before, but he had never just blown Murdock off. The few times he hadn't shown up were when Decker had posted guards or came to visit, neither of which were happening now. The pilot's mind raced, trying to come up with a good explanation. He'd put the giant rabbit theory on hold ages ago, and was moving onto more serious things.

What if he had been grabbed by Decker? The man could have posted MP's around without anyone noticing, and could have grabbed him coming in. He could be in a cell right now! Murdock's anxiety rose as he thought about it. Or what if Face was hurt? He could've been shot and left to die in a gutter, all alone. Murdock's overactive imagination threw up the image against his will. He could see Face, covered in blood, dying, wishing Murdock would call for help…..

The pilot sat straight up, jumping for the phone. He couldn't just sit here while Face was missing! He dialed the number, waiting impatiently as it rang.

"Yeah?" A gruff voice growled angrily from the other end of the line. Murdock clung to the phone desperately, thankful that BA was home.

"BA! You're there! You're unbothered by rabbits! You're…." He paused, realizing he hadn't called BA at all. "You're at Hannibal's house. Why are you at Hannibal's house?"

"What're you goin' on about, fool? Don't be talkin' nonsense to me! And the game's today, you knew that. Told ya 'bout it days ago. Aren't you supposed ta be with Face?" The big guy's voice was smothered with annoyance at being bothered during his game. Murdock mentally scolded himself for forgetting, but didn't stop to apologize.

"BA, Face didn't come! He called and said he'd be here in five minutes, but he didn't come! What if he's hurt? What if he's caught? What if he's being held hostage by radioactive rabbits?" Murdock still hadn't one hundred percent decided the rabbits weren't making life difficult, and wasn't willing to throw out a possibility. He paused, silent for a moment, before continuing in a quiet voice. "BA… what if he's dead?"

"He probably just got tired of all you're jibba jabba," BA muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. But He knew Murdock was right to be worried. The team was in constant danger, and that meant they had to be constantly on alert. BA caught the fear in Murdock's tone, and personally vowed that if Face wasn't in trouble, he would be soon. "Alright fool, I'll tell Hannibal and we'll go check on him. Don't you worry 'bout Face, he knows how to take care of himself. Ya good now?"

Murdock nodded viciously, than realized BA couldn't see it. " Yep! Thank you soooo much, BA. Come get me if he's in trouble!" With that he hung up, moving to sit on the bed again. He didn't feel like doing anything but waiting until news of his friend came, so he began to stare at the ceiling again.


	4. Chapter 4

Face's keen gaze swept the kitchen, searching for any signs of movement. Seeing none he carefully pulled himself out from behind the counter, on full alert. His hand reached for the table, moving towards the pan of unbaked cookie dough….

_Splat!_ A thick gob of cookie dough landed on the shoulder of his suit, stopping him in mid-stride. He glanced to his left, spotting Jess behind the table. They both stared at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing. Face moved towards her, sinking to the floor. He loved this girl.

What had started out as her random idea to make cookies had been delicious. After the first batch Face began to eat the dough, finding it much tastier than the actual cookies. Five minutes later and they had begun the cookie-dough war. The sticky stuff was all over the house, but mostly in the kitchen. They were both covered in it, and for once Face didn't care.

"Truce?" Face asked when they had caught their breath again.

"Truce." Jess agreed, looking over at him. They both grinned, staring into the other's eyes. Face leaned towards her, about to kiss her…

Just than the door burst down, causing them both to jump. Face was on his feet and fumbling for is gun when Hannibal entered the kitchen, followed shortly by BA. The Colonel took in the mess, chewing thoughtfully on his cigar as he stared at Face. Face stared back, unsure what was going on.

BA glared at Face, taking an intimidating step towards him. "You're in for a world of pain, man! I'm missin' my game because you can't keep your word!" As he took another step towards him Hannibal held out his hand, stopping the furious sergeant's approach.

Jess stood up next to Face, her eyes wide with fear. She glanced at Face out of the corner of her eye, unsure. Face sighed mentally, trying to figure out what BA was talking about. This had a good chance of screwing up his relationship with Jess if he didn't get control of the situation soon; only problem was, he didn't know the cause of the situation to begin with.

Hannibal sensed Face's confusion and frowned, slightly angry with his lieutenant. "Face, what are you supposed to be doing today?" He asked, taking the cigar out of his mouth. "Because we got a call from a certain captain who happens to think you're in trouble."

Face suddenly understood and the guilt washed over him. "Oh God… Murdock…" he muttered, his eyes wide. He couldn't believe he had forgotten his best friend. "I didn't mean…. I wasn't watching the time, you see, and…." None of it sounded right even to him, and as he looked at Hannibal he saw the disappointment on his face.

"Sorry lieutenant, but it isn't me you need to convince. " His gaze moved to Jess and he frowned slightly. "Who's this?" He asked Face, realizing why Face had forgotten Murdock.

Face turned slightly red with embarrassment. This was not how he planned to introduce his girlfriend to the team. "Err, this is Jess," He started, struggling for words. He caught the slightly amused look that crossed Hannibal's face, making him blush even more.

Thankfully, Jess came to his rescue. "I'm his girlfriend," She said with a smile. "And I'm guessing you're the friends he's always talking about. It's nice to finally meet you."

Hannibal's grin was evident now as he nodded to her. "Name's Hannibal, and this is BA. What, exactly, is Face saying about is?"

Face smiled disarmingly, trying to change the subject. "Actually, Hannibal, I really don't talk about you guys that much. And I think you should leave, since I need to go talk to Murdock. Maybe we'll have dinner together sometime." As he spoke he moved forward, ushering Hannibal and BA towards the door. BA growled at him angrily causing him to step slightly closer to Hannibal, but he still swept them towards the door.

Face frowned as he saw his doorframe splintered, but decided to ignore it for now. He glanced over his shoulder at Jess, who was having a hard time not laughing. "Bye, Jess! I'll be back later, alright?" She nodded to him as he moved out the door, closing it as best he could behind him.

Once on the porch Hannibal turned around, all business now. "Alright kid, I want you to listen." Face started to open his mouth but was stopped by Hannibal putting a hand up, demanding silence. "No, not talk, not try to get your way out of this, listen. You need to get your head on straight and your priorities together. I don't want a repeat of this. I don't want you making promises you can't keep, especially to Murdock. Understand?"

The cold seriousness of his voice shocked Face, and he could only nod mutely. The Colonel was never like this unless he was seriously mad, and Face hadn't thought something so simple could make Hannibal so angry.

Hannibal's eyes softened as he saw Face's confusion. "Listen, Face," He started again. "I know you don't see anything wrong with what you did. You forgot, and I understand. But I don't like where this is going. You've always been good to your word, and I don't want that to change. All we have nowadays is our word. But if some girl is enough to make you fail to honor your prior commitments… "

Face suddenly cut him off, an anger flaring in his eyes. "She isn't just some girl, Hannibal, she's more than that." He paused, gathering his thoughts, and calming considerably. "To be honest, I…. I think I love her."

Hannibal blinked in surprise as Face's admittance. Face never admitted to connecting with anyone, and especially the women he met. He would use them for a while, never falling in love. But Hannibal could see it in his eyes, no matter how hard Face tried to hide it. "I see." Hannibal said, unable to think of anything else for a moment.

"That don't mean you hurt the fool," BA's gruff voice suddenly filled the silence. Face looked at him, slightly embarrassed again at his mistake. BA went on. "That man's crazy, but that don't mean he don't care 'bout ya. You mean the world ta him, man. He was really worried when he called today, and I don't want no more of that nonsense. You hear?" BA held up one of his fists for emphasis, but Face didn't have to be told twice. He nodded, understanding.

Face started to move past them, headed towards the 'Vette. "I get it, guys. Sorry for all the trouble, it isn't happening again." The sincerity in Face's words was enough for both BA and Hannibal as they watched him walk away.

Hannibal chewed his cigar thoughtfully for a moment before BA spoke. "Glad that's done," The big man said with such finality that Hannibal didn't dare contradict him. Still, the clever Colonel couldn't get over the feeling that this was just the beginning.


	5. Chapter 5

Murdock had finally moved from his spot on the bed to sit on the floor. Beside him was Billy, whimpering slightly as he let Murdock pet his stomach. Murdock sighed, looking his dog in the eyes. "Don't worry Billy, BA and Hannibal are on the case." Billy just kept whimpering, and Murdock knew he was just as worried.

Suddenly there was a commotion outside the door, causing Billy to stand up and growl. Murdock watched the door cautiously, knowing there was no reason for the orderlies to come get him. Suddenly the door opened quickly revealing a fast talking Face, accompanied by the nurse who was trying to dissuade him.

"I'm sorry Doctor, but we have no records of your appointment." The nurse was saying, although anyone could tell she was ready to give up.

"Then recheck your records and fire whoever keeps track of such things. This is a very important appointment, and you don't want Mister Murdock to miss it, do you?"

The nurse glanced at Murdock, than back to Face. "Alright Doctor, you can take him. But try to be back on time." With that she left, shaking her head in confusion. Face turned to Murdock, a sheepish grin on his face.

Murdock was on his feet and had Face in a huge embrace before he could speak. "Face!" He cried, the relief and excitement evident in his voice. Face awkwardly hugged him back before gently pushing him away.

"It's good to see you too, Murdock," He said, straightening the Doctor's coat he wore. "Listen, I'm really sorry about not being here quicker. I was about to come but I got distracted and just kind of lost track of time…."

Murdock's smile faltered and pain filled his eyes, but only for a second. The mask of eager happiness was back as he gave Face a knowing look. "Aw, it's alright Faceman. I've been busy today anyways," it was a lie, but one meant to make Face feel less guilty; Murdock would rather let Face think he was fine and feel better than know it had hurt him and feel guilty.

Face didn't see Murdock's slip of emotions and gave him a genuine smile. It sounded like BA and Hannibal had just over exaggerated. Murdock had probably had more fun here with his imagination than Face had had with Jess and their cookie dough.

"So, who is she?" Murdock's question startled the conman out of his thoughts. Murdock, seeing that Face's mind had been elsewhere, elaborated. "You know, the girl you were with this morning. Who was she?"

Face tried to shrug nonchalantly, but failed. "Her name's Jess," he told Murdock, not willing to lie to him. "She came over last night after I called you," He added on as an afterthought. "I didn't even know she was coming."

Murdock nodded, hearing the tone in his friend's voice. "Jess, the same Jess you had a date with the night we got back from that farm in Idaho?" He asked, smiling. "That's gotta be what, two months? A new record!"

Face looked at him, slightly startled. For someone with intermittent memory loss, Murdock sure remembered the details. He nodded slightly, giving his friend a slight frown. "Thanks, Murdock. For your information, I like this girl." He didn't plan on saying any more, but Murdock caught on like usual.

The pilot's eyes widened. "You mean…. 'Like' like?" He asked in a hushed tone.

Face rolled his eyes at the childish expression, but smiled a genuine smile. "Yes, 'like' like. Now grab your jacket and come on; if we don't hurry the nurse is going to think we've planned to stay here."" He watched Murdock immediately scramble for his jacket, then call Billy to follow them.


	6. Chapter 6

Murdock was silent in the car, an out of character trait in itself. Face glanced at him with worry, unsure of his friend's behavior. The pilot was _always_ talking, even when he wasn't really saying anything. But today a thick tension was clouding the car.

"So, what've you been up to today?" Face asked to break the silence.

Murdock blinked, shaking himself mentally out of his stupor. "Huh? Oh-" He muttered, trying to think up a good lie. He hated lying, especially to Face. "I uh, you know, just…. had things to do." He frowned, shrugging noncommittally. He needed to gather his thoughts and shake off his sudden unhappiness. He didn't want to worry Face.

Face frowned, not liking the answer. "What kind of things?" He asked, his voice taking on an innocent curiosity. He was getting more and more worried about Murdock as they went on.

"I, uh, had appointments all day with the doctors," Murdock substituted, unable to think of a good story. "And, uh, Billy was keeping me company." Murdock looked up at Face suddenly with an insane grin before Face could even think of an answer. "But apparently my day was nothing compared to yours, huh?"

Face squirmed, unsure if he wanted the conversation to go back to his day. After all, he should have been with Murdock instead of Jess. He couldn't help smiling back at his friend, though, and before he knew it he was talking. "Yeah, today wasn't bad. Made cookies, you know." He paused, waiting.

Murdock took the bait, knowing there was more. "Cookies? What else did you do with these, ah, cookies, other than make them?"

Face's grin widened as he saw Murdock's curiosity. "Well, it wasn't so much the cookies as the cookie dough…."

"What?" Murdock's tone was getting more excited as Face continued to dance around the subject.

"Well…. We threw it."

"You what?"

"We… Well, I was eating it, and Jess was trying to make cookies, and then we were just kind of throwing it. Everywhere."

Murdock stared at Face, trying to figure out if he was serious. "That's your big fun day?" He asked, slightly surprised. Part of him was proud of Faceman's random craziness, but part of him was disappointed that Face had ditched him so he could have his own private cookie dough fight. After all, Murdock liked cookie dough too.

Face frowned. He had thought his friend would enjoy the story. "It _was_ fun," Face muttered, defending his day. "And I thought you'd think it was a great idea, making a mess and such."

Murdock sighed in exasperation. "Yeah, but not for _you_. You're Faceman! You don't make messes- you complain about them!" Murdock paused, trying to sort his thoughts into sentences. "I mean, we have a system. Hannibal's the smart one, BA's the angry one, you're the fancy one, and I'm the crazy one! You're breaking the system!"

Face snorted, turning his eyes back to the road. "Well, maybe Jess is bringing out the crazy in me." He stated, smiling slightly at the thought. "I love her, you know? And we have fun together."

Murdock frowned, slumping back into his seat. "Yeah, alright," He muttered, his gaze going back to the window. He was hurt, but he wouldn't let Face see. Murdock had thought _he_ brought out the crazy in Face. He had thought _he _had fun with Face. _He_ made messes with Face. And _he_ did it all without messing up the system. Murdock held back a sigh, wondering absently if he was being replaced. He didn't think Face would ever do such a thing, but if it made his friend happy Murdock wouldn't complain.


	7. Chapter 7

Murdock jumped out of the 'Vette as Face pulled up to the curb. He had had fun like always with Face, but he was happy to be home. Before he could go in Face called back to him.

"Hey, Murdock! Wednesday night I'm having the team over for dinner. Are you coming?" Face asked.

Murdock grinned, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "Of course! What're we having, the famous 'fly soup'? Or maybe the delicious roasted rats, hunted personally in the deep jungles of L.A….."

"Actually, I don't know yet. Jess is cooking." He interrupted, knowing he'd be here all day if he let Murdock continue.

Murdock's smile dimmed slightly as he nodded. "Sounds good to me, Facey. I better hurry up now, before the nurses realize something was up." Murdock turned towards the building, starting to feel worn down. The edges of his control were fading, and he knew he needed to go inside before Face caught a glimmer of what _real_ crazy was like.

Face nodded, unaware of Murdock's mental struggle. "Hey, you need me to check you back in?" He asked, ready to get out of the car and follow his friend in.

"No!" Murdock yelled a bit louder than he meant to. He glanced back at Face, seeing the shock and worry on his face. Murdock cringed inwardly, not having meant to yell. "Ah, I mean, it wouldn't be good. If you show up too much the nurses will start to recognize you, right?" His gaze wandered back to the doors, wishing he could just go in.

Face gave Murdock a confused frown, concerned for the pilot. "It'd be no trouble, Murdock. I go in all the time, and the turnover rate for the VA is remarkably high-" Murdock glared at him suddenly, a dark glint in his eyes. He was getting annoyed at the conman's persistence. Face realized quickly what was wrong and stopped. "But if you don't want me to, I can just go home." He finished quickly, wondering why he hadn't seen it earlier.

Murdock nodded, closing his eyes for a moment. "Thanks, Face, for everything," He muttered, turning back to the doors and practically running inside. He didn't open his eyes until he knew he was inside and could hear the nurses' surprised voices around him.

Face sighed to himself, driving back to his current beach house. He usually realized when Murdock was at his breaking point. He understood that his friend didn't want the team to see him in his worse states of mind, and knew when it was time to take him back to the VA. But it worried him that Murdock had started losing his control after only five hours away from home. If this continued what would it mean for the team? Face shook his head, deciding Murdock just must've not gotten all his meds today. Everything would be fine, it had to be.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Wow, what a reception already! Thank you all for your kind reviews and follows. I'll try not to let you down!**

**Also, I'm in the process of moving and am having a hard time trying to write. :P I'll try to post whenever I can- and on that note, most type/post times are on Tuesdays and Thursdays- but it may be slow going until everything settles. My apologies!**

**Oh, and quick question- how do you all feel about the chapters? I realized yesterday that I've been posting them more as scenes then chapters, and it's making them slightly short. Would you all be happier with chapter breaks that make them longer with less chapters, or shorter 'scene' chapters like what's been posted so far? **

**Alright, I'm done keeping you from your story. Enjoy!**

Wednesday night had come finally, and Face was more than nervous. He had planned this for a while, wanting the whole team to meet Jess and realize he was serious about her. He had never had a dinner like this though, and he hadn't factored in Hannibal and BA's meeting with Jess already. He already was thinking of calling the whole thing off, but he knew it was just putting off the inevitable. He nervously brushed away imaginary dirt on his suit for what had to be the tenth time.

"Temp, it's going to go fine," Jess said from beside him.

He nodded his head, flashing her a sincere smile. Before he could respond there was a knock at the door. He turned to tell Jess he would get it when he realized she was already in the kitchen. It was all beginning. The knock was repeated as he walked to the recently repaired door, opening it with a smile. Hannibal stood on the porch chewing his cigar, BA and Murdock on either side.

"How's it going, kid?" Hannibal asked as he walked past Face.

"Fine, just fine," Face answered absentmindedly, closing the door behind the team. "Glad you guys could come."

"'Course we came, man! Ain't like we got nothin' better to do." was BA's gruff reply as he headed towards the couch. Hannibal smirked as he followed him. Face shook his head as they grabbed for the TV remote and started the long process of deciding whether they watched the game or 'Aquamaniac 3'.

"Billy wants to know what's for supper," Murdock informed Face, dragging the conman's attention away from Hannibal and BA. The pilot petted the air beside him absentmindedly, watching as Face brushed dirt off his suit again. He knew that was one of his friend's nervous ticks, and was eager to take his mind off of his nerves.

"I think we're having steak," Face answered, silently dreading the fact that Murdock had brought Billy. His friend could get carried away with his fantasies, and Face didn't want him to worry Jess. "Murdock, do you think Billy could wait outside until we're done?" He asked, giving Murdock a pleading look.

Murdock nodded silently, turning and opening the door. Murdock felt horrible as he saw the injured look his pet gave him, and realized he was feeling the same hurt his dog was. He sighed, blocking away the feeling and smiling crookedly. "Don't worry Billy, we'll be done soon," He consoled his dog, shutting the door and turning back to Face. But Face was half way in the kitchen, leaving the pilot alone.

Murdock frowned, looking from the couch to the kitchen door. He would usually follow Face, but he knew Jess was in there with him. For some reason Murdock dreaded meeting Jess, knowing she was the one Face preferred. But deep down he knew he had no reason to dislike her without even meeting her, so he chose to follow Face into the kitchen. As he entered he saw the couple talking and decided that staying out of the way would be better than interrupting.

He studied Jess intently. She was certainly good looking. Her light brown hair fell around her shoulders carelessly and her light green eyes were shining as she looked at Face. Her skin was nicely tanned, he noted, and she certainly had a certain charm about her. She was everything Face liked just looking at her, but so were a lot of girls. Why did he choose this one to love?

Face wasn't even aware of Murdock's presence. "Maybe you're right, Jess," He was saying to the young woman. "But I'm still worried."

Jess laughed, her eyes shining with something Face had decided resembled the 'Jazz'. "What, worried we won't get along? I can play nice, Temp. Besides, I've already met Hannibal and BA."

Face snorted at that, but couldn't help the grin on his face. "Well, yes, but not in the way I wanted. I mean, a simple phone call would've been fine; I'd still have my old door and everything would have gone as planned. But you saw…" He paused not sure how to finish.

"I saw them exactly how I wanted, caring for the team. Now I know they'll look after you while you're gone, won't I?" Jess looked at him, completely serious. "I worry about you, Temp. Now I know you're with people who care about each other as a whole, not just for themselves."

Face nodded, knowing she was right. He hadn't thought of the early meeting as a good thing, but now he realized it was exactly how it should've been. "You're more understanding than the guys, though. And you still haven't even met Murdock…" He paused, the mention of his friend bringing him to the realization that Murdock had pulled up a chair at the small table and was listening to them intently. "Ah, Murdock…" He started, slightly surprised that the man had snuck in without his knowledge.

Murdock gave his friend one of his insane grins as Jess turned around, seemingly surprised at seeing the man. "You must be Murdock," She stated, smiling at him. "I'm Jess, as I'm sure you know." She held her hand out to him in greeting.

Murdock's gaze flickered to her, and his grin vanished. He studied her hand for a small moment before ignoring her completely, turning instead to Face. "I'm worried," He stated quickly, an intense look in his big brown eyes.

Face frowned slightly as he watched Murdock ignore Jess's attempts at being friendly. He saw her smile waver as she pulled back her hand and he decided he would have to talk to Murdock later about his manners. He sighed, giving Murdock a look. "Worried about what?" He asked in a tone commonly associated with children.

Murdock frowned, glancing back towards the door. "Well, Billy's being good out there and all, but his tummy keeps growling. I didn't want to give him your food since the big old mudsucker will probably eat you outta house and home…" He paused, seeing Face roll his eyes. "Facey, do you got anymore of them dog treats around here?"

Face glanced at Jess in time for her to mouth the words 'who's Billy?' He knew there was a lot of explaining to do when it came to Murdock, but he didn't want to have to go through it right now. "I uh, may have some in my coat pocket," He answered the pilot. "You can go check. It's by the door."

Face watched Murdock hesitate before bouncing out of the room humming an unrecognizable tune. He sighed, leaning against the counter behind him. Sometimes he wished Murdock went to Hannibal for his antics, not him.

"So, are you going to explain that or am I going to have to ask him?" Jess asked from beside him, glancing at the door. Face just gave her a wan smile as he moved to sit in the now vacated chair.

"Murdock has a dog…" He started, only to have Jess interrupt him.

"He has a dog? How? And why is it outside?"

Face almost laughed at the confusion on her face. He hadn't told her a lot about Murdock, only that he currently resided at the VA. He knew it was wrong but he felt deep down that Jess might be a bit more cautious around him just because he was...well, how he was.

"It's not a real dog, it's imaginary." Face paused, knowing he couldn't jump around the subject of his friend's mental health for long.

Jess glanced towards the door again as if expecting Murdock to bring his dog in any minute. "Imaginary? Like hallucinations?" She asked, her voice becoming slightly concerned.

Face held up a hand and shook his head. "Not exactly. His doctors say he could be faking most of it." He saw the worried look in her eyes and realized that wasn't enough for her. "His… antics are really harmless, and sometimes fun. I promise he's a good guy."

Jess sat in silence for a moment, trying to process what Face was telling her. "So he's slightly more crazy than I thought," She started slowly, "But it's a good crazy." She looked at Face who nodded a little, hoping she understood. "Temp, I trust him if you trust him. It may take a little getting used to, but it'll be fun." She smiled at him, moving to the cabinet and grabbing a plate. "Now, let's get these steaks out there."


	9. Chapter 9

Murdock sat on the back porch, staring at the water of the ocean as the sun slowly sank beneath its waves. He briefly wondered why the sun would willingly fall under the surface of the water everyday instead of staying high in the sky. Didn't it ever wish for just five more minutes in the air like he always did? The door opening behind him startled him out of his thoughts, and he briefly wondered if Face had realized his absence. But the soft steps didn't sound like those of his friend's, and soon he saw Jess standing beside him.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Murdock just nodded mutely, not feeling up to conversation right now. He would've stayed inside if he wanted to entertain, but all he wanted was solitude and quiet. He felt her eyes on him and squirmed unwillingly; he wasn't used to being studied like that. Than she was looking at the sunset again, silent.

"Can I sit down?" She asked after a while. Murdock nodded, sliding over slightly on the steps. He didn't understand why she had to ask; it wasn't his porch. They sat in silence again, watching the clouds change colors.

"I hear you're a pilot," Jess started. Murdock only nodded silently. "You like flying a lot?" She asked. Murdock nodded again. There was another moment of silence, making Murdock wonder when she'd give up and leave him to his solitude. He knew it was unlike him to want so much alone time, but he'd felt like this for the past few days now and just didn't care.

"I used to paint sunsets," Jess tried again.

Murdock nodded.

"You have to be quick when you paint them, since they're constantly disappearing."

Another nod.

"You paint much?"

Murdock shook his head no, realizing at the same time this wasn't completely true. The VA had him painting every so often, but he didn't fell like explaining that. After another moment of silence Jess stood again. Murdock relaxed; satisfied she'd given up when she turned to the door.

"You don't like me much, do you?" She asked suddenly, looking back at him.

Murdock was caught off guard by her accusation. He tore his eyes away from the sunset, focusing on her for a moment. "That's not true," He protested, yet he felt like he was lying. He had no reason to dislike her, but he did. He just couldn't get himself to trust her. His gaze fell as he realized this, and he turned back towards the waves.

Jess frowned, sitting back down next to him. "I don't need you to like me, Murdock. I just want you to know I care about Temp, and if he wants me and you to be friends than I'm willing to try."

Murdock sighed, realizing he didn't seem to do anything right anymore. He was trying so hard not to hurt Face, yet he ended up doing it anyways. He glanced at Jess, nodding slightly. "Alright," He said quietly, smiling slightly. "You must be Jess. I'm Murdock, as I'm sure you know." He held out his hand, mimicking what she had done earlier.

Jess smiled back, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you Murdock. I'm sure we'll get along fine."

Murdock released her hand, his eyes turning back to the sunset. The sun was only a sliver now, but the clouds above it were on fire. Murdock stood, looking around for a stick. "I'm gonna play fetch with Billy," He announced as he found the perfect stick. "You're welcome to join."

Jess laughed, realizing how interesting this might be. ""Alright," She agreed as she stood. She started to follow Murdock out towards the water when the door behind her opened quickly, showing Face.

"Jess, phone call. The guy said he was your boss or something…" Face announced, glancing at the two. Jess had informed him why she was coming outside and asked for no interruptions, but her boss was persistent.

Jess nodded, glancing back at Murdock. He seemed completely caught up in trying to get a patch of air to pick up the stick he'd just thrown. She looked back at the Face, hurrying inside towards the phone.

"Hello, this is Jess," She said quietly into the phone.

"What've you got?" Asked a man's gruff voice on the other end.

"Everything's going well, sir. Peck would follow me into a military base if I asked. Smith and Baracus are getting there, and Murdock has just turned our way. In a few more weeks they'll be ready."

"Good. I want them in the next month, Jess, or you're part of the bounty is cut."

Jess snorted, rolling her eyes. "If you cut my pay then I don't deliver, Richard. You want the team, you'll give me my cut as the deal says."

Richard laughed. "Alright, Jess. It shouldn't be a problem anyways if they trust you so well. Just remember, the boys higher up want them quickly."

"Don't worry, they'll be ready. You can always count on me." Jess hung up the phone, smiling as she went into the living room.


	10. Chapter 10

"Awww, man! Come on, I was on the thirty-first level!" Murdock whined as a V.A. nurse unplugged his game. "Can't I just play for a little while more?"

"Sorry Mr. Murdock, lights out means lights out. Time for bed." The nurse smiled at him, than left to get his pills.

Murdock frowned at her. He didn't see why they had to be so chipper about ruining his new high score. He glanced at Billy, who was lying on the floor under the window. "I don't wanna go to bed, Billy," He whispered to the dog. "I'm not even a little bit tired!"

Billy wagged his tail in agreement, standing and running to Murdock's side playfully. Murdock laughed as the dog licked his face. "I knew you'd understand. We should-" He was cut off by the nurse reentering the room with a cup of pills, which she handed to Murdock. Murdock gave her a grin as he put the pills in his mouth, than thanked her. "Nighty-night!" He called back to her as he moved to his bed with a fake yawn.

As soon as she was out of the room he jumped onto his bed, spitting out the pills and tucking them in his pillowcase. Billy gave him a dubious look. "Don't worry, Billy," Murdock comforted the dog. "I'll take them later. I just don't want any of those sleeping pills they like to try and sneak in there." The dog gave an uncertain wag of his tail, and then hopped up on the bed beside his master. Murdock glanced at the door, making sure nobody was sneaking around, than looked at his dog.

"So here's what I was thinking. We're gonna call Face, have him break us out, and then go to the airfield for a late night flight. Sound fun?" Billy gave a small woof, which Murdock responded to with a finger over his lips. "But you gotta be quiet, Billy! Don't want those nurses to spoil our plans, do we?" Billy shook his head as his master grabbed the phone.

Murdock waited patiently as the phone rang. On the fifth ring an annoyed Face finally answered with a "Hello?"

"Face!" Murdock whispered as loud as he could without alerting the nurses. "I need you!"

"What? What's wrong?" Face suddenly sounded on full alert and, most importantly, concerned.

" Me and Billy are getting claustrophobic in this little ol' room, Faceman! We were thinking a flight night, muchacho-"

"Murdock, can I call you back? I'm a bit tied up at the moment." There was a murmured laugh in the background, one that definitely didn't sound like Face. "Can we take a rain check for that?"

Murdock sighed, his soaring hopes plummeting quickly. "Yeah, alright. I was starting to get tired anyway..." He tried to throw an upbeat note in his voice, only half succeeding. Luckily, Face didn't notice.

"See? It all worked out alright. Maybe I'll drop by in the morning, and we can snatch a plane then…" His voice faded out for a moment, before coming back with a quick "Gotta go, Murdock."

Murdock sat in silence, listening to the dial tone buzz in his ear. Face hung up on him. His best friend in the whole wide world had just hung up on him. Suddenly he slammed the phone on the receiver. He jumped off the bed, yanking the phone out of the wall and carrying it over to his sink. "See ya," He muttered darkly at the phone before turning on the water and letting the water splash over the phone, soaking it. Leaving the water running he went back to his bed, sliding under the covers and brooding.

Billy whimpered, putting his paw on the bed, but Murdock ignored him. _Just like Face ignores you,_ a dark voice added in the back of his mind. _He's found your replacement, one who's not as crazy and a lot more fun. Now he'll just let you sit and rot in your little prison cell. You don't deserve to see him anyways, with all the trouble you cause-_ Murdock put his pillow over his head, muffling the voice. He hadn't heard _that_ voice in a while. But part of him didn't even care anymore, didn't care how much the voice tortured him.

Murdock spent the rest of night tossing and turning in restless sleep, the voice whispering its dark sentiments in his dreams all night.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Apologies for this filler chapter being short… I promise I'm working on the whole 'chapter length' thing, but it doesn't kick in until the next chapters. I apologize again, I PROMISE they'll get longer.**

**And thanks so much for the reviews! They are like the fuel for inspiration. And prompt me to stop goofing off and type more- (hint hint) Nah, just kiddin'. Sorta. **

Face glanced over at his clock, trying to make out the numbers through his haze of sleep. When the numbers finally materialized into what looked like a nine and a couple zeros he reluctantly pulled himself into a sitting position.

"And where do you think _you're_ going?" a sleepy voice murmured from beside him. Hands reached up from the pile of blankets, trying to pull him back down. He shrugged them off.

"It's nine, and I promised Murdock we'd do his flying today. I think he's getting restless…" His sentence was cut off by a large yawn. Jess sat up behind him, laying her hands on his shoulders.

"Temp, we were up late last night. You should get some sleep; you guys can go out later, right? Just take him out around noon when you've had more sleep." She started massaging his shoulders, getting a soft groan of pleasure out of the conman. "Besides, I like having you to myself in the mornings."

Face felt his resolve slipping away as she gently pulled him back into the bed. "Alright," He muttered sleepily. "Murdock can wait a few more hours." His eyes closed the minute his head hit the pillow.

Jess watched him for a moment, making sure he was really asleep, than quietly slid out of bed. She left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. She then made her way to the phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hello?" Came her associate's voice after the first ring.

"Richard, it's me. Is the team ready?"

"We're just waiting for you. When do you plan to bring them down here?"

Jess paused, looking back at the bedroom. "Give me a week. I have to finish setting up my alibi- I'll be in Nova Scotia when this all goes down, according to these guys."

There was a deep laugh from the other end of the line. "It won't matter once they get here. They won't be coming back from this mission, remember?"

"I want another shot at this if you screw it up, Richard! That's why I can't be seen out there, remember?"

There was a long pause from Richard. "Get it ready," He growled, and then hung up.

Jess frowned, hanging up the phone. "I'll be ready," she muttered before turning and heading back to the bedroom.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I have some bad news. My flash drive, with all the data for this story (and a few others) has taken a terrible dive and smashed into many pieces. This means I've got some re-typing to do… starting here. Things may be a bit slow for a while, or at least until I re-do the outline and type up what I've lost. **

**Until then here's a nice chapter on Murdock. Enjoy!**

Murdock paced the small confines of his room like a caged animal. He was exhausted from his bad night, but that didn't stop him from pacing. Pacing helped him think, gave him something to concentrate on other than the voices in his head.

By the door Billy sat growling, glaring at the world. The dog seemed in a bad mood today, and Murdock didn't blame him. They were supposed to be flying right now. "Don't worry Billy," Murdock assured the dog. "Face will come- he always comes eventually."

_Or He'll just ignore you._

There was that voice again. Murdock sped up his pacing, counting the number of steps it took to get from one side of the room to the other.

_You know it's true. He doesn't want you anymore- he has someone better._

Murdock clenched his teeth, but didn't stop his pacing. Six steps from the wall to the bed, turn, six steps back. Repeat.

_Hannibal and BA like her too. Soon no one will want you anymore. Then you'll just rot away in this prison, left to die._

Murdock began trembling as he paced. Hannibal would never leave him here. He knew how Murdock felt in here, didn't he? Face did for sure. Murdock had told him once, when they first broke him out and were trying to decide how broken he was. He had told him the rooms were too small. Face had understood.

_He knows it's a prison, knows it's like the camps, yet he still leaves you here to die. You're hurting no one but yourself by denying it- Face doesn't care about you anymore. _

The Camps. Suddenly his mind was filled with pictures. Images of blood and dirt, of tiny cages and broken bodies. He could practically hear the screams, feel the too tight rope cutting off the circulation in his arms. And then there was the interrogation, the pain of metal slicing into skin or the wrath of an angry guard with a Bamboo rod. And Face, so innocent and young back then. The first time the guards had brought him back he'd cried for hours, trying not to move and aggravate his injuries. It had broken Murdock to see his friend like that. Face was only taken in once more; after that Murdock did everything he could to make sure the guards wanted him, not Face. Make sure Face was safe.

_Do you think he cares about your stupid sacrifices? You're pathetic, Murdock, and you know it. You're sacrifice did nothing but make you useless to the team- you're too broken to be of any real help. Nobody wants you anymore. You've been discarded here, in this cell, like all the other broken, useless people._

"Shut up." Murdock's voice was no more than a whisper, too weak to fight both the voice and the memories. His pacing steps stopped as he put his hands to his head, shutting his eyes in an attempt to block the images.

_They're never coming back for you. They're going to leave you here to rot in your pathetic cell, leave you to die. They despise you for being broken, for being weak enough to crack. They didn't crack, did they? You're useless. They'll never love you, never care about you. That's why they brought you back._

Murdock's eyes shot open, wild. The room was too small. Suddenly the VA was gone, replaced by bamboo walls and hot dirt floors. There was no Face, No Hannibal or BA. He was alone, left to die again.

_They brought you back to die, Murdock. They want you to suffer._

Murdock screamed, trying to drown out the harsh words. The voice only laughed at him, a dark evil sound that soon broke away into three familiar voices. They continued to laugh at him as he backed against the wall and slid to the floor. There was no escape. He was going to die where he should have with his team laughing in the background.

Suddenly there was a shout from beyond the door. It burst open to reveal three orderlies and a nurse. Murdock stared at them for a moment, his world shifting in and out of focus. Then the memories took over again and he was back, trapped in a cell with the VC.

_They've come to take you away Murdock. It's time for interrogation._

"No…"

_Yes. They're going to finish what they started while your friends watch. They're going to kill you slowly and painfully and there's nothing you can do about it._

Suddenly he could see them standing in the doorway, laughing at his pain. "NO!" He screamed, dragging himself to his feet. The VC in front of him looked at each other, then started forward. Murdock closed his eyes again. He couldn't let this happen. He would never go down easily- not while he could fight. Murdock suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze cold and calculated.

"Tránh xa tôi ra!" His voice cut through the air, causing the enemies to stop in their path. Murdock didn't give them a chance to advance anymore; he gave a bloodthirsty howl that chilled the orderlies to their bones before jumping straight at them. He would not die tonight.

*The Vietnamese Murdock uses in this chapter roughly translates to 'Get away from me' according to the resources I used. If I'm incorrect, feel free to tell me.


	13. Chapter 13

"We're sorry, but the number you have dialed is no longer in service. If you would like to make another call, please…"

Face looked at the phone, frowning. He had redialed the number to Murdock's phone three times now, all with the same result. Something wasn't right. Even if Murdock was mad at him for waiting until so late in the afternoon to return his calls the pilot knew better then to unplug his phone. He dialed a different number, waiting impatiently as it rang.

"VA Psychiatric Ward, this is Sherry. How can I help you?"

Sherry- he recognized that name. She had been there a while, and he was surprised she hadn't caught on to his scams by now. "Hello, this is Agent Rogers from the Houston Police Department. I was going over some of my files and the name H.M. Murdock came up as a witness to a murder three months ago. I understand he's at your facility… can I speak with him?"

There was a long pause at the other end of the line that made Face uneasy. "Now's not the best time, detective…" She replied hesitantly. "Maybe we can call back when he's able to speak with you?"

Face suddenly had to work to keep the casual tone in his voice. "Why? What's wrong with right now?"

Sherry's voice took on a hard tone. "Detective, this is a psychiatric ward. In a place such as this people tend to have good days and bad days- Mister Murdock isn't having a good day. We have him in restraints and under heavy sedation right now, and that's barely keeping him still. You can speak to him another day-"

"What'd he do?" Face didn't have time to stop the words from coming out, but he didn't really care. Sure, Murdock liked to be a pain sometimes, but never enough to be restrained like this.

"Sir, that's confidential," The nurse shot back.

"Don't give me that confidentiality bull! Tell me what-" He paused, forcing himself to calm down. "Ah, I mean, it's imperative I know the state of my witness. I need to be able to at least know what he's done so that I can judge if he'll be able to make a court appearance any time soon."

"I can already tell you no, detective."

"I'm sorry Sherry, but you're in no place to make that decision. His eye witness statement could save dozens of lives, and I'm willing to do the best I can to get him here. If you don't tell me what he did than I'll send some agents your way right now to come get him." Face crossed his fingers, hoping his lie would play out like he wanted.

Sherry paused, and he could hear her curse slightly under her breath. "Fine. But this stays between you and me," she breathed in a voice so quiet that Face had to strain to hear her. "Mister Murdock was screaming in his room, so a few nurses went to check on him. When they arrived, he attempted to kill them."

Face sat in shocked silence for a moment, trying to process what she had told him. _Kill… Murdock would never kill anyone_, Face thought to himself._ At least, not since we came home._ "Are you sure you aren't mistaken? I mean, you sound like you could be jumping to conclusions here-"

"He broke one of our orderly's hand and bashed another's head against the sink repeatedly. We couldn't pull him off until after the man was unconscious. If you don't think that's dangerous than go ahead and take him, _Detective_. Just don't hold me responsible for the lives you put at risk." There was a click, than the line went dead.

Face sat in stunned silence for a long while. He knew there had to be something more to this, something they were missing. Murdock didn't just try to kill people. Face knew his friend wasn't that crazy- he hadn't even been close to _that_ crazy in years- but there had to be an explanation. With shaky hands Face picked up the phone and dialed another number. It picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Hannibal, get BA and meet me at the VA. We have a problem."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I did mean to have this and the last chapter joined, but I messed up. :P Since I realized my mistake today, it shall be a seperate chapter. Yay, update on a Friday! **

"Temp, what's wrong?" Face paused, halfway out the door. He'd forgotten about Jess being asleep in the bedroom; He'd gotten so caught up in the nurse's information that everything else had ceased to be important. Jess suddenly appeared in the bedroom doorway, a worried look on her face. "Why were you shouting on the phone? Did you and Murdock get in a fight?"

Face shook his head, glancing out the door. "No, I was talking to one of the nurses. There's something wrong with Murdock- me and the guys are going to go find out what happened."

Jess was suddenly next to him, worry in her eyes as she looked up at him. "What kind of something? I thought he was safe at the hospital."

Face would have laughed if it wasn't so serious. "No, not that kind of something- I think he might have just had one of his flashbacks. But it hasn't been this bad for a while, so we need to make sure he's really alright."

Jess frowned. "Bad? Is he violent?" Face didn't answer. "Temp, I don't think you should be going down there. You might get hurt." She gently put a hand on his arm, urging him to come back into the house with her.

Face pulled away. "I have to go Jess, he needs me. I'm not going to just abandon him to the nightmares." He turned back to her, a hard look in his eyes. How could she not want him to go? "You can't stop me."

Jess stepped back, looking hurt. "I'm just trying to help, Temp. I don't want you to get hurt. I love you too much to have you end up in the hospital because of your best friend."

Face shook his head. The words were right- they spoke of concern and love and showed him he was just overreacting- but the tone was wrong. She was angry at him, probably for being a complete jerk. She wasn't trying to keep him from Murdock, she was trying to keep him safe… right? "I know, Jess, but I need to go. He's my brother; we help each other just by being there for each other. Right now he needs me." He paused, seeing the worry still in her gaze. "Besides, he's at the VA. That means they'll have him in restraints, and he'll probably be sedated the whole time. He's harmless."

Jess sighed, admitting defeat. To push Face now was to push him away. She knew that. "Alright, but be careful. Don't get to close to him if he looks violent, alright?"

Face nodded, not wanting to waste the time it would take to explain that Murdock didn't always _look_ violent when he was, or that the only thing that would keep him away from his friend would be if Murdock didn't want him near. "Alright, will do. Goodbye Jess." With that he was pulling the door closed, heading to his car before Jess decided to argue with him anymore.

Why was she so worried? He'd been around Murdock back when his friend was at his worse. Sure, he was hopeless when it came to figuring out what to actually do for the crazy man when he was in the dark grip of his memories, but he would still be there for him. He would always be there for Murdock; It was just a fact of life. So why would Jess be so against him going to help?

Then again, Jess still hadn't learned just how dark Murdock's mind could be. Face knew he'd dropped the ball there by refusing to talk about his friend's mental state. But it was better to tell too little than to tell too much, right? He was just trying to keep from worrying her; apparently he hadn't done too good of a job. Jess wasn't trying to keep him from Murdock, she was just worried about him. And here he'd been awful towards her because of it. Face felt guilt rise up, clawing at his heart. He'd have to make it up to her later.

The corvette's engine revved as he sped up, eager to get to the hospital. After he had seen Murdock things would be better. He was sure of it.


End file.
